


Writing In Code

by ununoriginal



Category: KAT-TUN (Band), NewS (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-07-13
Updated: 2008-07-13
Packaged: 2017-12-15 03:13:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/844641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ununoriginal/pseuds/ununoriginal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU. Shige is a manga magazine editor!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Writing In Code

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the working!Shige comment!fic-a-thon for Shige's birthday at trivialaffair's journal.

Shige takes a deep breath before he raises his hand to press the buzzer next to the door. As he waits for someone inside to let him in, he mentally runs through what he needs to say, the words of his senpai and chief editor, Sakurai Sho, still ringing in his ears. _Our artists are undeniably talented, that's true, but even so, most classics only truly shine after having gone through the editing process. It is our job to help polish and hone these manuscripts we have into the dazzling gems they deserve to be._

He hangs on determinedly to the reassuring expression Sakurai-senpai had on his face when they spoke this morning as the door swings open to reveal a messy head of reddish-brown hair. “Yo, Shige, you're here,” the speaker drawls in a voice that seems huskier than normal to Shige. 

“Good afternoon, Akanishi-kun, how's the drawing coming along?” Shige returns the greeting as he steps across the doorway. As he glances up from removing his shoes, he realises that Akanishi is not alone. “Oh, good afternoon, Yamashita-kun.” 

“It's Yamapi and Jin, Shige. How many times do we have to tell you to drop the formalities? Come on, it's been like a month already!” Yamashita Tomohisa, or Yamapi, replies from where he's standing behind Jin, arms wrapped around the other's waist and chin perched on his shoulder. “And the work is coming along fine. We just stopped to take a... toilet break.” 

Shige watches the smirking pair make their way into the bathroom hand in hand and shrugs. Overlooking or putting up with eccentricities of the author(s) is part and parcel of the manga editor's job. Sakurai-senpai has to deal with the Ohmiya Collaboration, whose two members are notorious for missing for deadlines due to their daily 'bonding' sessions. At least both Yamashita and Akanishi still do their work, though he has come to discover that it's mainly due to... 

“Oh hey, Shige, it's kinda early for you to be here, isn't it? Isn't the deadline the day after tomorrow?” Kamenashi Kazuya, the third member of Seishun Amigo, the up-and-coming mangaka group touted as the 'rising star' in the intensely competitive world of manga publication, looks up from where he's painstakingly colouring in the shadow thrown by a building outlined on the manuscript in front of him. The large table where he's doing his work is strewn with papers, pens, reference books and drawings, and the other assorted items of 'inspiration' invested in the creation of 'SUMMARY', the group's latest work. 

“It is, Kamenashi-kun, I'm just here to go over some revisions I thought might be better for the plot before you guys commit it to ink.” Kamenashi nods in response as Shige takes a seat on the couch by the far end of the table, already engrossed in his drawing again. Shige doesn't mind being half-ignored – even though Kamenashi isn't as friendly, at least he has a strong work ethic that helps to keep the other two artists in line and on time. 

Sure enough, as the noises from the bathroom get conspicuously louder and louder, Kamenashi swears under his breath and chucks his pen before stalking off towards the bathroom, banging the door. “Toilet break is OVER! The two of you better come out within the next five minutes, or I'll roster you in for toilet and kitchen duty for the next month!” 

Shige grins as the three of them return to the drawing room, Akanishi and Yamashita grumbling a bit as they take their seats. “Kame-chan's a spoilsport.” Akanishi pouts as he starts pencilling in the outline of a sports car into one of the panels on the manuscript paper. 

“He's grouchy because you kept him up the whole of last night, Jin.” Ignoring Kamenashi's embarrassed and outraged spluttering, Yamashita picks up the topmost sheet on his manuscript pile and considers it. “Ne, Jin, do you want me to add the effect here or...” The room quietens down as the three of them settle back into the rhythm of their work. 

Shige decides to sit there for a while, gazing idly at the framed posters from Seishun Amigo's previous works, 'Dream Boys' and 'Kizuna'. He knows he's procrastinating, but confrontations with the final member of the mangaka group always leaves him with a headache, and he wants to enjoy the peace while it lasts. 

This hope is shattered in the next minute as a short, dark-haired man in a dark-blue bathrobe appears in the doorway to the room, rubbing his eyes and yawning. “Mornin...” he mumbles in response to both Akanishi and Yamashita's “Morning, Ryo-chan!” 

“Actually, it's afternoon already,” Kamenashi interjects. “And Shige is here to go over the revisions to the plot, Ryo.” 

The last sentence brings the sleepy man awake. “Revisions, what the fuck? Since when has anything Nishikido Ryo's come up with needed revisions?!” 

Shige sighs inwardly. “Nishikido-kun, it's just a small bit at the end of the chapter. I feel it would strike the readers with a greater impact if you could just--” 

“Look, I didn't toil and kill my brain coming up with these stories so that you can shoot them down...” Shige rubs at his temples wearily as Nishikido launches into a rant about know-it-all newbies who actually have no idea what they're messing with. 

“Oh, calm down, Ryo-chan, you know Shige means well,” Yamashita goes over and tugs Nishikido towards the couch where Shige is sitting, “after all, he IS our biggest fan.” 

Shige flushes a little at the memory of his drunken confession after Yamashita and Akanishi plied him with alcohol during his 'welcome party' when he had first taken on the job as their editor. He had been so excited and nervous to meet these talented mangaka that he idolised, but now, he is fully aware that they are all too human, with all their quirks and foibles, and in a certain individual, their egos. 

He opens his briefcase and takes out the manuscript in question as Nishikido grudgingly sits down next to him. “This part, Nishikido-kun, where Shota-kun is making his confession to Misaki – isn't the way he says it a bit too direct? It seems a little out of character, he's more like the type to be more subtle about it, I think...” He trails off as Nishikido stares at the paper expressionlessly. 

Everyone is waiting, Shige in dread while the other three in vicarious anticipation, for the explosion that inevitably follows. There is a pause and Shige holds his breath. 

“...you have a point.” 

“I-I do?” Shige echoes, a bit bewildered. He thought he would have had to argue a bit longer than this. 

“Yes, you do.” Nishikido gazes at Shige rather speculatively. “It IS a bit of a cop-out for Shota to have said it like that, that was lazy of me.” 

“N-no! I didn't mean to imply that you aren't working hard, Nishikido-kun,” Shige quickly replies, adjusting his glasses. He doesn't dare to meet Nishikido's eyes, mortified that he may have offended the other man, and so he misses the predatory gleam that flashes across Nishikido's face as he watches the colour rise in Shige's cheeks. 

“Of course not... but I think I'll need some more help to get the tone right.” Nishikido takes the sheet out of Shige's hands. “And I could do with more of your input.” 

“Really?” Shige's expression is disbelieving. 

“Definitely.” He stands up and grabs Shige's arm, dragging him out of the room. “But we'll need to discuss it somewhere else. I can't concentrate properly when these clowns are here distracting me.” 

“Eh? It's alright, Nishikido-kun, I know the way to your room. You can let go of me--” The door slams shut on the both of them. 

 

Kame, Jin and Yamapi stare at the closed door, and then at each other. 

“Ryo-chan likes him.” 

“Yes, Ryo definitely likes him.” 

“Pay up, you two. Wasn't I saying this weeks ago?”


End file.
